Not applicable.
In the field of plant genetics, we conduct an extensive and continuing plant-breeding program including the organization and asexual reproduction of orchard trees, and of which plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots, cherries and interspecifics are exemplary. It was against this background of our activities that the present variety of interspecific tree was originated and asexually reproduced by us in our experimental orchard located near Modesto, Stanislaus County, Calif.
Among the existing varieties of peach, nectarine and plum trees, which are known to us, and mentioned herein, xe2x80x98Royal Goldxe2x80x99 Peach (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2663), xe2x80x98May Grandxe2x80x99 Nectarine (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,794), xe2x80x98Early Sungrandxe2x80x99 Nectarine (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 1,420) and xe2x80x98Red Beautxe2x80x99 Plum (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,539).
The new and distinct variety of interspecific tree [(Prunus persica var. nucipersicaxc3x97(Prunus persica var. nucipersicaxc3x97Prunus persica))xc3x97(Prunus persica var. nucipersicaxc3x97(Prunus salicinaxc3x97Prunus persical))] was developed by us in experimental orchard as an open pollinated seedling from seed collected from a cross between proprietary lines of immediate parents with field identification numbers 10LA512 and 41GF72. The maternal parent (10LA512) originated form a cross between a seedling from xe2x80x98May Grandxe2x80x99 Nectarine (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,794) crossed with a seedling from a cross of xe2x80x98Early Sungrandxe2x80x99 Nectarine (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 1,420) and xe2x80x98Royal Goldxe2x80x99 Peach (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,663). The paternal parent (41GF72) originated from an open pollinated seedling selection that was developed from a nectarine of unknown parentage crossed with a seedling that originated from xe2x80x98Red Beautxe2x80x99 Plum (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,539) crossed with a peach of unknown parentage. A large number of these open pollinated seedlings were planted and grown on their own root system, during which time we recognized the potential of the desirable fruit characteristics and selected the present variety in 1996 for asexual reproduction and commercialization.
Asexual reproduction of the new and distinct variety of interspecific tree was by budding to xe2x80x98Nemaguardxe2x80x99 Rootstock (non-patented), as performed by us in our experimental orchard located near Modesto, Calif., and shows that reproductions run true to the original tree and all characteristics of the tree and its fruit are established and transmitted through succeeding asexual propagations.
The present new interspecific tree [(Prunus persica var. nucipersicaxc3x97(Prunus persica var. nucipersicaxc3x97Prunus persica))xc3x97(Prunus persica var. nucipersicaxc3x97(Prunus salicinaxc3x97Prunus persica))] is of large size, vigorous, upright growth and a productive and regular bearer of large size, white flesh, freestone fruit that have a unique maroon-red skin color. The fruit is further characterized by having a unique, excellent flavor with the desirable blend between a sweet, mild, sub-acid nectarine and the slight tanginess of the plum, leaving a lingering after taste of excellent eating quality. The color of the new leaves in the spring is a unique maroon-red, which fades to a near normal green color as the leaves mature during the hot summer weather. The very newest growth retains maroon pigment on the shaded, lower surface and midrib of the leaf during most of the season. Pigment varies primarily with the high temperature during the summer.